Optical Network Engineer

MatX Inc.; Mountain View (CA); Hybrid; USD 250,000 - 475,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

PTO & holidays

Remote work options

Health & wellness benefits

Professional development

Team meals

Commute support

AI resources budget

Parental leave

Job summary

MatX Inc. is seeking a senior optical interconnect engineer to own end-to-end development of next-generation interconnects for AI scale-up networks. You will drive qualification, productization, and deployment across pluggables, NPO, and CPO architectures.

Responsibilities include evaluating copper/optical connectivity for AI accelerators, performing link budget analyses, and collaborating with cross-functional teams to meet aggressive performance targets in data centers.

Qualifications

• BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or Photonics.
• 7–12+ years in optical interconnect engineering, with at least 3 years in data center or AI fabric applications.
• Hands-on experience qualifying 400G, 800G, or 1.6T optical modules in production environments.
• Deep knowledge of PAM4 signal theory, SerDes architecture, and optical link physics at 200G per lane.
• Proficiency in optical test equipment: BERT, OTDR, optical spectrum analyzers, sampling oscilloscopes (e.g., Keysight 86100).
• Experience with OIF-CEI, IEEE 802.3dj electrical and optical specs.
• Strong documentation and vendor communication skills.
• Understanding of fiber plant requirements for high-density AI cabling.

Responsibilities

• Validate and productize high-speed copper and optical connectivity for AI accelerator systems.
• Characterize optical modules across integration spectrum for 800G and 1.6T deployment.
• Perform link budget analysis and evaluate metrics like TDECQ and OMA.
• Develop expertise in transceiver components and their failure modes.
• Evaluate SiPh transceivers, VCSEL MMF links, and EML SMF solutions.
• Apply thermal, mechanical, power, and signal integrity constraints to dense hardware.

Skills

PAM4 concepts

SerDes architecture

optical test equipment

link budget modeling

hardware debugging

vendor communication

cross-team collaboration

Education

BS/MS/PhD in EE/Optical/Physics/Photonics

Tools

MATLAB

Python

Job description

What MatX Is Building

MatX's mission is to make the world’s best AI models run as efficiently as allowed by physics, bringing the world years ahead in AI quality and availability.

About the Role

This is a senior-level, highly specialized engineering role focused on the design, qualification, and productization of next-generation optical interconnect technologies for AI scale-up and scale-out networks. The engineer owns the full lifecycle — from component characterization and link budget analysis to system-level bring-up and data center deployment — across the evolving spectrum of optical integration approaches: pluggables, NPO, and CPO.

What You'll Do

Technology Evaluation & Qualification

• Validate and productize high-speed copper and optical connectivity solutions for AI accelerator systems; own vendor due diligence and onboarding for new 1.6T products including AEC and pluggable optical transceivers.

• Characterize and qualify optical modules across the integration spectrum — DSP Optics, LRO, LPO, NPO, and CPO — for 800G and 1.6T deployment in scale-up AI fabrics

• Perform link budget analysis and evaluate performance metrics including TDECQ, OMA, stressed receiver sensitivity, and associated diagnostics.

Component & System Engineering

• Develop expertise in transceiver components including CW lasers, SiPh PICs, EML, DSP, passive subassemblies, their failure modes, and characterization methodologies.

• Evaluate silicon photonics (SiPh) transceivers, VCSEL-based MMF links, and EML-based SMF solutions for scale-up fabric topologies

• Apply knowledge of thermal, mechanical, power, and signal integrity constraints in dense hardware environments.

Scale-Up Network Architecture

• Define optical interconnect strategy for AI cluster topologies — rail-optimized, torus, dragonfly, and Clos — at XPU counts from 10K to 1M+

• Model and optimize end-to-end link budgets for 1.6T (200G/lane PAM4) across fiber types: SMF, MMF, MCF

• Engage with the transition from 1.6T to 3.2T (400G/lane) roadmaps and new form factors emerging with LPO and CPO.

Supply Chain & Vendor Management

• Develop familiarity with subcomponent supply chains and global manufacturers, ODMs, and CMs.

• Manage technical relationships with optical module vendors (Coherent, II-VI/Coherent, Lumentum, Innolight, HG Genuine, Eoptolink) and silicon photonics suppliers

• Drive NPI (New Product Introduction) qualification plans, yield improvement, and reliability testing with manufacturing partners

What We're Looking For

Experience & Education

• BS/MS/PhD in Electrical Engineering, Optical Engineering, Physics, or Photonics

• 7–12+ years in optical interconnect engineering, with at least 3 years focused on data center or AI fabric applications

• Hands-on experience qualifying 400G, 800G, or 1.6T optical modules in production environments

• Deep knowledge of PAM4 signal theory, SerDes architecture, and optical link physics at 200G per lane

• Proficiency in optical test equipment: BERT, OTDR, optical spectrum analyzers, sampling oscilloscopes (e.g., Keysight 86100), optical power meters, TDECQ testers

• Experience with OIF-CEI, IEEE 802.3dj electrical and optical compliance specs

• In-depth expertise in debugging and troubleshooting hardware; experience in the product development lifecycle.

• Understanding of fiber plant requirements: MPO/MTP connector, fiber cleanliness, insertion loss, PMD, and bend radius for high-density AI cluster cabling

• Experience with link budget modeling tools (MATLAB, Python-based photonic simulation, GNPY)

• Ability to collaborate with switch ASIC teams (SerDes architects), PCB/signal integrity engineers, thermal/mechanical engineers, and NOS/software teams

• Strong technical documentation and vendor communication skills

Bonus Points

Background in AI accelerator or GPU system validationFamiliarity with JEDEC or PCIe compliance testing methodologiesExperience with statistical process control (SPC) or large-scale data analysis for silicon characterization

Compensation

The US base salary for this full-time position is determined based on a variety of factors including role, experience, location, job related skills, and relevant education and training. Career length is only a guideline for compensation.

• Early Career - $120,000 - $250,000 + equity

• Mid Career - $175,000 - $362,500 + equity

• Senior Career - $250,000 - $475,000 + equity

What We Offer

• Time off: 4 weeks PTO (accrued) + 12 company Holidays + up to 3 weeks remote work

• Health: Company-subsidized Medical (Kaiser or Anthem) for employees & dependents, Guardian Dental and Vision insurances for employee & dependents, and life insurance (employee only), plus HSA and FSA offerings via Lively. See attached benefits 1-pager and full benefits guide for more info on benefits.

• Financial Wellbeing: Choose from Roth IRA/ 401K (or both) retirement plans with up to 5% company contribution to 401K (even if you don't contribute). Also, 100% company-paid life insurance (up to $300K) and long-term disability insurances.

• Professional Development: $1500 Professional Development Budget (per year)

• Team Meals: MatX provides onsite team lunch & dinner Monday - Friday, with your choice of ordering via WeBox, Specialty’s or via our reimbursement system

• Commute on Us: Commute on our company Uber account, or reimburse your train rides. Either way, we pay 100% for your daily commute.

• MatX E[x]tras: $50/mo to use on the perk you value most

• Cell & Internet Reimbursement: $35/mo for cellular and $40/mo for wifi

• Mental Wellbeing: 100% paid mental health benefit via SpringHealth and Guardian EAP.

• Support to Parents: Up to 12 weeks paid parental leave regardless of path to parenthood, 10 weeks pregnancy disability leave, flexible return-to-work hours, and Benepass reproductive health & parental benefit.

• AI Resources: Up to $20K/month plus a dedicated internal AI Tooling Team to support your productivity

As part of our dedication to the diversity of our team and our focus on creating an inviting and inclusive work experience, MatX is committed to a policy of Equal Employment Opportunity and will not discriminate against an applicant or employee on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, sex, gender, gender identity, gender expression, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, medical condition, marital/domestic partner status, military and veteran status, genetic information or any other legally recognized protected basis under federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

All candidates must be authorized to work in the United States and work from our offices in Mountain View Tuesdays-Thursdays.

This position requires access to information that is subject to U.S. export controls. This offer of employment is contingent upon the applicants capacity to perform job functions in compliance with U.S. export control laws without obtaining a license from U.S. export control authorities.